to demolish one 'infidel' house of worship after another. This time, the pretext is a new Malaysian mass transit line, and wouldn't you know it, there's not one, but two pesky temples that are somehow right in the way of this new line. And of course, those troublesome temples -- two Buddhist temples this time -- have gotta go.
It's almost as if Malaysia's government is chock-full of Islamic supremacists or something, dedicated to
(i.e. all non Islamic culture).
KUALA LUMPUR: Appeal letters have been sent, appointments have been set.
Now, devotees of two temples in Cheras are seeking divine intervention to spare their place of worship from being demolished.
The temples are in the path of the Klang Valley My Rapid Transit line.
About 500 devotees held special prayers at the Xian Fa Chinese temple in Kg Landasan Keretapi here yesterday.
“On Oct 6, the Federal Territories Land Office sent the Xian Fa Chinese and the Buddhist temples at Kg Landasan Keretapi eviction notices,” said MCA Bukit Jalil Resort chairman Chew Yin Keen at a press conference yesterday.
“They were told to move out by November before their temples are demolished,” he said.
“I have told the land office that it cannot demolish any place of worship without providing a replacement location,” he said, pointing out that Deputy Federal Territories and Urban Wellbeing Minister Datuk M. Saravanan had stated this before.
“There is a plot behind the temple large enough to build five or six temples,” Chew said.
“Perhaps, the temples can be relocated there.”
Buddhist temple committee member Lee Mun Yoong said the temple had been in existence for 70 years.
He said they had moved to the current location when their previous site in Cheras was taken over to house the Kuala Lumpur Badminton Stadium.
Xian Fa Chinese temple committee member Yap Chee Kong said they could not afford to build a new place of worship even if they were asked to move.
He suggested that the Government readjust the track alignment so that the temple would not be affected.
“Our temple has been here since 1976,” said Yap.
“Since the MRT alignment is only in its planning stage, perhaps they can still consider changing it.”
Last week, Land Public Transport Commission chairman Tan Sri Syed Hamid Albar said the commission would not accept any more complaints on the MRT final alignment and urged the public to refer to MRT Co instead. Hat tip: Jihad Watch
